"Adonais" : Quotations
"Adonais" is a notable literary work by Percy Bysshe Shelley. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of "Adonais".
Quotations
“No more let life divide what death can join together.”
Explanation: Shelley says this when he wishes to be reunited with Keats after death. He feels that life has separated them, but death can bring them back together. This line shows Shelley’s deep love and longing. It also shows that he no longer fears death. Instead, he sees it as a way to return to his dear friend forever.
“Life, like a dome of many-coloured glass
Stains the white radiance of Eternity”
Explanation: Shelley compares life to a colored glass dome. It is beautiful, but it blocks the full light of truth. That light is “Eternity,” the pure and perfect world after death. Life gives us only a small, unclear view. This quote shows Shelley’s belief that real peace and truth come after death, not in this world.
“I am borne darkly, fearfully, afar;”
Explanation: In this line, Shelley speaks about his own sorrow and pain. He feels lost and helpless. He is carried far away by grief, like a small boat in a storm. The words “darkly” and “fearfully” show that he is afraid and deeply sad. This line gives us a picture of Shelley’s broken heart after losing Keats.
“Reviewers, with some rare exceptions, are a most stupid and malignant race.”
Explanation: Shelley says this in the preface to the poem. He is very angry with the critics who attacked Keats’s work. He believes that their harsh words hurt Keats badly. Shelley calls them “stupid and malignant,” meaning foolish and cruel. This line shows Shelley’s strong defense of true poets and his deep dislike for unfair critics.